Ripped Away

Chapter 8

I didn't know what time it was when I opened my eyes. There were no windows in this basement to show me the outside light. I picked up my phone and found that it was 2:45am. A twelve hour nap? I had a text from my mom saying that she assumed I was sleeping at Richie's and asking that I'd text her when I woke up. I felt like she was handling this a little too well.

Since there was no point in getting out of bed at almost three oclock in the morning, I rolled over to get closer to Richie. It was only then that I realized I was alone. So I sat up and tried to see through the pitch blackness of the room. On the other side of the stairs I saw a light. Once my eyes focused I saw Richie too.

He was sitting in front of the dryer with a guitar beside him. He was scribbling something into a notebook and had wrapped his shirt around his head like a sweat band. He never told me he was a musician.

I thought about whether or not disturbing him would be rude. But I was curious. So I walked over and sat beside him. He continued writing, giving me time to just watch. I'd never gotten butterflies before from watching the way a person's hand moved as they wrote. This boy had an effect on me that I just didn't understand.

He finished writing and closed his notebook.

"Did I wake you up?" he asked.

"No." I shrugged. "Why are you awake?"

"Because I write better in the middle of the night."

I just nodded, then waited a second before speaking again.

"Play me something?"

"You don't want to hear it." he said, blushing. "None of it's very good anyway."

"I'm sure it's amazing. Please?"

He thought about it for a minute but finally gave in. He handed me his notebook and told me to pick a song. So I opened it to a random page and found a song called "Bound to Break". I handed the notebook back to Richie, watching his smile fade a bit.

"If it's like, too personal or something you don't have to play it."

"No, its fine." he said quietly, then picked up his guitar.

As I listened, the room seemed to feel calmer. His voice was quiet but bold. I could almost feel it every time his fingers touched a string. The song's lyrics though, were more upsetting than anything.

I know I overreact to every comment

It takes me deeper than ever into resentment

So forget it you can't have it I'll never fit your mold

This shit is getting old

I know I question myself at every moment

Every flaw on the surface you make me show it

So forget it you can't have it I'll never be the one

I am the rising sun

He didn't look at me while he played. He just focused on a crack in the floor.

I'm bound to break if I stay the same

With all my weight I will force a change

Cause in my skin is the sunlight

And in my heart there is still a fight

He finished playing and set his guitar down. He just kept staring at the ground, so I decided to talk.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah." he sighed, looking up at me. "Last year was kind of rough for me. I wrote a lot of sad songs.

I just nodded; pretty much understanding what he meant.

"That was really nice, Richie."

"Thanks, man." he said, rocking toawrds me to bump my shoulder with his.

I gave him a weird look. Man? That wasn't a very sweet nickname.

"Yeah, that sounded wrong. I like "baby" better." he laughed.

He stood up and grabbed his things. I watched him put them on a shelf he had nailed to a wall by his bed. Then he came back and grabbed my hands, rushing me over to the bed again. He took off his jeans and his makeshift sweat band before diving under the covers again, wearing only his underwear. He then looked at me like I was crazy for still being clothed. I hesitated a second, but decided to just go for it. I mean, at least we wore the same kind of underwear.

"Goodnight." I said quietly, once I was wrapped up in his arms again.

He didn't respond with words; but a kiss on my shoulder instead. So I just layed there, listening to his quiet breathing, feeling his skin against my own. I was enjoying the fact that even though we were both almost naked, this didn't feel sexual. I mean, I definitely wanted him. But it was nice that I wasn't feeling even a single ounce of pressure. All I could feel was happiness and peace.

I stayed awake thinking long after Richie had gone back to sleep. There was so much going through my head. One thought though, was a lot louder than the others. I tried to convince myself it wasn't true. I knew I liked him more than I'd ever liked anyone. But could this feeling mean something more than just that? It wasn't because he was something new and interesting. It was because he was who he was. Richie York. This amazing person who'd fallen so suddenly into my life, and had so quickly taken my heart. There was nothing that had triggered it; no exact moment when I realized how I felt. Somehow, I think I'd felt this way even before we'd met. That's how I believed life was. Everyone has someone; a match, a soulmate. Richie was my someone.

After a few hours of desperately trying to change my mind, I decided there was no point. This was real, and it was here.

I was in love with him, and I'd never been more afraid.

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The song lyrics used in this do NOT belong to me. I get inspiration for my stories from music, so I like to incorporate some songs into my writing.

Song: Bound to Break- This Wild Life